Social media boosting patient recruitment, but FDA guidance needed

CRO and Pharma patient recruitment efforts can benefit from social networks and online patient groups, but clarification from the US FDA is still needed.

Outsourcing-pharma.com spoke with Brian Loew, CEO of Inspire, an online community of over 70 disease-specific patient communities, who explained that the benefits go beyond access to patients.

“It’s not just access to large number of patients, it’s the fact that those patients are deciding in large number to participate in clinical trials.”

Loew went on to explain that this volunteering process helps contract research organisations and pharmas tackle some of the prescreening, selection and permission hurdles that can otherwise hamper recruitment.

However, he added, CROs still face regulatory hurdles when accessing these types of social networks that would benefit from further clarification from regulators.

“The FDA could help us all by being clear about what is ok and what is not ok…and the absence of that clarity is making it difficult for industry.”

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